Why Argue Biblically against Gay Marriage?

I don’t understand the main stream Christian opposition to gay marriage, it puzzles me. Bigots aside, the main argument seems to be that marriage is biblically mandated as between a man and a woman – it’s written into the fabric of the universe by God and that’s how it will always be.

I obviously disagree with that, as do many liberal Christians. Here’s a few articles arguing based on the bible – article 1 , article 2 , article 3 – and I heard an interesting podcast on the Dogma Debate a few weeks ago (podcast). The arguments go on even with laws and attitudes changing around the church in wider society.

My question is why debate it biblically?

Obviously I wouldn’t make a biblical defence of gay marriage – for me it seems a strange system to debate the topic using the bible – it would make more sense to focus on the effects of gay marriage and whether it would be good for society. If there are underlying reasons for the decrees behind the scripture, then it makes more sense to debate those reasons.

Why should it be one man and one woman? If marriage is important – why is it important? Is it to provide a stable family to raise children? In that case can two men provide a stable family? Can other forms of relationship provide a stable family? If scripture says marriage is between one man and one woman and we stop there as an argument, then we are limiting the discussion.

Let me know in the comments below or at mail@fizzingatoms.com